Wishes Granted
by Ran Mouri
Summary: James T. Kirk always wanted a family of his own, if only to prove his step-father wrong. Now he has what he has always wished for, if only a little different from what he expected. SLASH S/K
1. Prologue

Sorting the mess Nero left behind had been one of the most tedious chores of Admiral Pike's life. Of course, he respected each an every cadet and officer they had lost that day. And of course, all deserved a proper burial and service in their honor.

But the mind-numbing routine of : Name, Age, Living Relatives, Status, Contact. Had gone on and on for over six months without any alteration. And while his trusted number One seemed to be amusing herself with all the data and repetitive chore, he was only human and about to pull his hair off. Yes, he was the newest admiral in the fleet, and yes, he was still bound to his wheel chair, but he felt that Archer and the others were taking advantage of him.

"Sir?" Number One asked, her eyebrow raised. Christopher shook his head.

"I'm listening, Number One," he said with a small smile. The woman nodded, her eyes reflecting her disbelief It was his fault, really, that he found the window far more interesting that the pile of PADDs in front of him.

"Cadet Ludger is done, sir," she said simply, and Chris had the idea he would pay for his inattention later on.

"Well then," he sighed. "Next is Miss Marcus, Carol, Cadet and..." he blinked as he read. "Family?"

Number One shook her head.

"None, sir," she replied, checking her data. "Except for young Marcus David, currently residing in the hospital."

Pike ran a hand through his hair, suddenly reminded why Number One was one efficient first officer but a terrible chatting companion.

"I know, Number One, that's the problem."

"Sir?" she asked, tilting her head.

The Admiral sighed and shook his head. "Please contact the hospital and get me the boy's data?"

"Already did, sir," she replied efficiently. "Marcus, David. Six months of age, mother Carol Marcus, condition healthy if a little stressed."

"The father?" asked Chris, his eyebrow raised as his former first officer and now assistant showed his a picture of the baby in question. He didn't want to think of the possibilities, nor the place he had seen those bright blue eyes and chubby cheeks before.

"Head doctor Anderson says father is unreachable. Cadet Marcus would not identify her son's father before she died," she said seriously. "Should I contact Social Services to find the baby a foster home?"

Pike swallowed, pulling the drawer in his desk open and searching through it to pull out a thick stack of old papers. His own old dissertation

"Sir?" Number one asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Contact Doctor Anderson, Number One," the Admiral sighed as he laid a run-down and old photograph by the PADD and shaking his head. "I need a DNA report from the boy."

Number One nodded but her inquisitive mind reflected in her eyes what she thought.

"Do you think it is necessary?" she asked as she gazed at the picture Admiral Pike was comparing the baby with.

"Just to make sure, Number One," he answered, running his fingers across the glossy surface of Winona Kirk's face and the blond baby she held protectively in her arms.

Same blue eyes, same chubby cheeks.

Same ears and nose.

"What have you gotten yourself into, kid," Pike sighed, letting a fond smile curl his lips.

Number One shook her head and did as she was told. She could hardly understand the fondness her Commanding Officer felt for the troublemaker that was one James T. Kirk.

----------

"So, it is true then," he muttered as Doctor Anderson relied the news to him. Number One was, at the moment, awkwardly holding baby David Marcus-Kirk to her chest, her arms stiff and nose almost wrinkling in distaste as the little hands spread spit into her uniform.

Pike almost smiled.

Doctor Anderson nodded.

"As amazing as it looks, sir."

Christopher shook his head, his eyes gentle. The kid had really done it this time.

"Should we contact the father, sir?" Doctor Anderson asked, rearranging his glassed. Pike looked at him, then at the baby happily pulling onto Number One's hair, and finally at the pile of PADDs he had received with mission reports from the Enterprise.

Reports varying from _'Klingon Attack, we are all fine, though I broke both legs :D sorry about that.'_ to _'We lost 4 crew members, stupid Romulans. Will take shore leave in Space Station 12. Oh, Spock says hi and please don't take Bones' reports too seriously.'_

No, he couldn't just call the kid and drop this into his lap. He was finally living his dream, finally blooming.

And he knew that the poor boy had enough abandonment issues to leave it all behind for his only son.

Plus, he told himself, the Enterprise is no place for a six month old baby.

"I guess we've better contact Mrs. Kirk with news about her grandson?" he sighed, trying not to laugh as David snuggled into Number One's chest and kept his little hand curled on her hair.

"Negative, Admiral," Number One answered, her arms unconsciously curling more firmly around the baby. "Lt. Winona Kirk lost her life in the line of duty four years ago. Accident in Delta Epsilon Pi."

Christopher Pike sighed. As a man of action he was used to take quick decisions in order to salvage a situation. He could take little David to Social Services and be done with it. He would be taken to a foster family and Jim would never have to know. It was the logical thing to do. Everyone won.

Yet, he was sure his little protégé would find out about it eventually. He always had that ability of pulling classified information out of his ass.

And he knew Jim would never forgive him if he found out he had given away his son without asking him first.

'What would you have done, George?' he asked himself, as he always did.

Little David gurgled a little, his eyes wide and happy.

Number One's eyes filled with warmth, her fingers unconsciously caressing his chubby, pink cheek.

He knew the answer already.

"Doctor Anderson, please prepare the custody documentation, will you?" he sighed, walking towards his assistant with a small smile. "I guess I can take care of the little one until daddy comes home."

Number One looked at him curiously, her arms tightening lightly around the baby.

"Up to the challenge, Number One?" he asked gently. The woman nodded, eyes determined. It would be a brand new adventure for the two of them.

And for one David George Kirk.

Idly. he wondered what the mysterious old Vulcan that called him sometimes would have to say about this little development.

To Be Continued.


	2. Chapter 01

Usually, when a Federation Starship engaged in a long-term mission was too damaged to repair at a Space Station, it became am occasion of joy for both the crew and the High Command back on Earth. Welcoming their comrades home brought a contagious air of cheer all around HQ that was difficult to ignore.

This time, however, the reports brought no joy to one Christopher Pike.

Another mission gone wrong, he read, another Klingon war bird trying to probe themselves, plus an angry space goddess who didn't get what she wanted (namely one James T. Kirk, most likely) plus a cardboard based society trying to steal the Enterprise and thus broaden their space exploration.

Montgomery Scott put his foot down when an olive-shaped spy-bot infiltrated the ship by cutting a hole through the hull... with its wooden toothpick. The Enterprise couldn't survive on parts bought in space anymore. Their lady needed to come back home for some good ol' Earth tender loving care.

As far as Commander Scott's report went, the repairs would take a moth at the very least and, with the Captain's approval, a month-long shore leave had been requested for the crew. Same shore leave that had already been approved by Admiral Barnet himself... without asking Admiral Pike.

That traitor.

Admiral Pike blanched as he continued to read.

It wasn't that the didn't want to see the crew, nor that he thought they didn't deserve a proper rest on their home planet, and the Enterprise really needed those repairs. But he knew that the moment the ship landed on Earth, Pike would be exposed as the coward he really was. The rest of High Command would lose the respect that had taken him years to build, the news would hit the papers in seconds, his career would be over.

And worse still...

He would lose Jim forever.

Over the years since he had found Jim slumped over a filthy bar table, half dead, half drunk, fully disappointed with life in general, he had come to think of himself as Jim's mentor, the father figure the boy had always needed. Jim always thought him out when he needed an advice. He sent him all reports first and never missed a chance to comm him on his birthday and Christmas, no matter how much Commander Spock complained that such calls only delayed their mission in thee point eighty four hours per month.

Pike couldn't care less, Jim was always there on the screen, a big smile plastered on his face that made him feel warm and fatherly all at once.

It was strenghtening, the power of that single smile.

And how had he paid his so-called adoptive son's adoration and concern?

He had lied to his face, he had hidden from Jim the one thing that he had always wanted.

Everytime Jim's smiling face appeared on his screen, Chris would see the bright blue eyes, the excited sparkle in them, and think of the little boy safely growing in his house, the one that shared those same eyes, that same smile, as he dreamt of his hero-father out there in space, the one that Grandpa Chris and Granny One told him about before tucking him in bed. The one that loved him so dearly that he risked his life every single day to make space a better place for him.

It would take Jim seconds to fall in love with David, Pike knew. The boy was a genius like his father, and mischievous to booth. He knew Jim would take one look at him and abandon his ship, his career, his life, if only to make sure his son was loved and protected as he himself should have been.

And maybe that was the problem.

Jim was young, he had a life ahead of him, a promising career. The 'Fleet needed him, the Enterprise needed him.

Pike needed him.

The truth was, he didn't want to give up on the family that chance had crafted for him. His loving but stern wife, his successful son and adorable grandson. After the Narada's incident, he thought his life was over, of course, the ship that would have been the pique of his career was in another's hands, he was crippled for life and pushed behind a desk to remain as a figure head, he had missed the years he so longed. The years of loving and nursing.

He was a lonewolf.

And then Jim had grinned at him and made sure he always felt part of the Enterprise, Number One stood by his side, always silent and supporting, loving even in her own stoic way. And David had been thrust into his life.

How could he give it all up now, that they all meant too much for him?

Simple, he couldn't.

Pike was selfish like that.

And that was the reason he kept quiet all along. That was why he kept telling himself that Jim would understand, as soon as his five-year mission was over, he would sit him down and explain to him that he had done it all for him, to try and fix the mess that would have surely broken out. Jim would understand, he told himself year after year, Jim would see that it was best for all of them.

But as he reads the extensive damage report followed by a short: "So, that's it, huh? We're coming home! See you in a month, Admiral! :D J.T.K." his hands shake so hard, too hard, until the PADD he is holding hits the floor.

-

It rains, the day the Enterprise finally lands on Earth. Captain Kirk, Jim, almost squeals in delight when the first raindrops hit his nose. Spock can tell his Captain wants to bask in such a simple pleasure as walking by the rain is, because he knows Jim. He knows that for all the blazing bravado Kirk shows their enemies, he is a very simple man.

In the last four years of their mission, Spock decided he might as well observe the man his older counterpart described as life-defining. He wasn't really sure a morally questionable, easy to misjudge, rather violent young man could be the same man his older self still longer so terribly for.

First shore leave had been a stressing one for the Vulcan. While Kirk behaved correctly while on duty, Spock wasn't so sure he wouldn't just embarrass himself and the rest of the crew by proxy should be find himself around endless amounts of human entertainment, alcohol and female companionship. He had wanted to tail the Captain and Dr. McCoy just to make sure they would not get in any sort of trouble, but Nyota had to talk to him and the urgency in her voice was rather disturbing to him.

In the end, Spock had found the Captain alone in his quarters three days later. Sipping a cup of coffee and, amazingly enough, reading a real, original, paper bound book.

Jim looked up when he announced himself and greeted him with a wide smile of satisfaction.

"Had fun on shore leave, Spock?" he asked. The Vulcan nodded, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't believe fun would be an appropriate definition for my shore leave, Captain, seeing as I spent it in the company of Lt. Uhura, as usual and the end of the week only pushed her to end our involvement," he said, mentally wondering why was he sharing such private information with the Captain.

Jim winced, closing his book.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Spock," he said. "Are you sure you guys can't fix it?"

Spock shook his head.

"Lt. Uhura was quite adamant in her intention. However, your sympathy towards my situation puzzles me, Captain. As I'm no longer in a relationship with the Lieutenant no fraternization rules are been broken as of now."

Jim's eyes darkened a little.

"I would feel sympathy towards any friend who lost someone important for them."

At that point, Spock had seventeen point eight four different responses to that simple comment. Half of which involved the day his mother had perished. Jim seemed to anticipate his words as well, as he adverted his eyes in shame. That incident was a sore topic for both of them.

However, Amanda usually told him he had to leave past wound in the past, so Spock decided he might as well heed her words.

"May I inquire about your shore leave, Captain?" he asked slowly, taking the seat Jim pushed towards him.

"Oh, it wasn't all that much," Jim shrugged with a small smile. "Bones and I went bar hopping, then I came here to pull Scotty away from the engines for a while, you know how he is, but he was doing this awesome transwarp equation and we lost track of time."

Spock blinked.

The Captain had spent shore leave... working on the ship with Mr. Scott?

For some reason the knowledge filled him with a deep sense of coldness. He frowned.

"I have heard that you are quite an adept chess player, Captain," Spock said suddenly. Jim blinked in confusion before an embarrassed flush painted his cheeks pinkish red.

"I did gamble a little with the Academy's chess team, but that was it, really. Where did you hear that?"

The Vulcan felt heat roam his face.

"It was... a source of great reliance, who wishes to remain anonymous." No, Spock was not about to tell the Captain that he was desperate enough to continue their conversation to pull some of the advices his older counterpart had given him during one of their last conversations.

"Well, that's ok, I guess," Kirk said, a little unsure. "I guess that yeah, you could say I'm a decent player. Maybe."

"Would you care for a game, then, Captain?"

Spock stared, refusing to admit he was nervous. The things between the Captain and himself were tense and professional at best, none of them had dared to reach out for the first steps of that infamous friendship that could change their lives.

That is, until that moment.

Jim stared back, shocked, before letting a smile curl his lips.

"I'd be honored, Mr. Spock."

And that was how their routing started. How game after game conversation started. Secrets were shared. Trust was established beyond the boundaries of Captain and First Officer.

And now, to Spock, Jim had changed from and officer he greatly respected to a man he could gladly give his life for.

And as Jim ran happily around the gardens towards HQ, a smile on his face, being chased by an enraged Dr. McCoy brandishing an umbrella and screaming at the top of his lung capacity about irresponsible brats who would not take care of their own health, Spock felt he had found the place in the Universe he had always longer for.

-

Two hours later, after handing his report of the last few missions to Admiral Archer, Spock decided he might as well search out of the Captain to say his goodbyes and take the shuttle to the Vulcan Embassy. Maybe he could inquire about the Captain's own plans during shore leave and, if Jim had nothing better to do, he would be more than glad to invite him along.

His older counterpart would be delighted to have Jim around, as he had stated quite enough times over the years, and his father, oddly enough, would receive them both quite pleased. The Ambassador would never admit it, of course, but Spock could easily see that his father had what his mother used to call a "soft spot" for his son's commanding officer.

Yes, it would be quite an enjoyable experience to spend some leisure time by Jim's side.

As he rounded the corner toward Admiral Pike's office, the only place Jim could be at the time, of course, a small bundle of wet towels crashed into his leg.

Spock stared, confused, when a familiar pair of bright blue eyes stared at him in awe from a face far too young, too illogically similar.

"David, stop this unsightly behaviour at once," snapped Admiral Pike's assistant, Number One, both hands on her hips and a severe purse in her lips.

The boy, now identified as David, turned to look at the woman with a disappointed pout on his lips.

"I'm sorry, granny One," he said, absently towelling his sunny blond curls with tiny hands.

Spock stood there, frozen.

It was impossible, of course, despite all evidence pointing to a logical conclusion his mind refused to admit. It was just a too ridiculous outcome. Jim had easily become his first and best friend. He had stood by his side even when T'Pring had rejected him, had saved him from the fires of Pon Farr endangering his own life. Had put himself in the line of fire in his place countless times. Had told him things about himself he was sure not even Dr. McCoy knew. Surely Jim would have mentioned something as important as this. Jim who claimed to cherish him and his friendship would not have kept this from him.

Suddenly, the door to Admiral Pike's office burst open violently, banging on the wall with a loud crash. Jim stormed out, face showing clearly his distress, his eyes bloodshot and tears glistening disturbingly on his red cheeks.

"Daddy!" squealed young David, running towards the Captain. Jim turned to him, face softening instantly.

"Come here, you," he said gently, gathering the boy in his arms as if he was a precious treasure. Most likely, to Jim, he was, or so Spock thought.

"You ok, Daddy?" David asked, whipping the tear tracks from Jim's face with childishly clumsy hands. Jim forced a smile on his lips and tightened his embrace.

"I'm fine, Dave," he said. "Let's go, ok? I think it's time you meet the rest of the family."

David cheered happily, wrapping chubby arms around his father's neck.

"Captain Kirk," Number One said softly, only to receive the coldest, most hateful glare Spock had seen Jim capable of.

"Good Bye, madam," he said quickly, turning around and stalking away. Not even bothering to acknowledge Admiral Pike's voice calling him back into the office nor Spock himself.

The Vulcan could no longer deny the painful beating of his heart against his side, nor the way his hands trembled with the effort to suppress his overpowering emotions.

Admiral Pike wheeled himself out of his office, eyes full of sorrow.

"Admiral?" Number One asked, immediately kneeling by his side.

Pike sighed, hands cradling his face.

"He's resigning from his post," he said. "He's leaving Star Fleet."

It was then and there that Spock felt his heart stop.

To be Continued.


	3. Chapter 02

First weekend into their shore leave found James T. Kirk in a penthouse in the middle of Manhattan, his hands idly playing with his son's blond curls. He had walked for hours, the boy safely nestled in his arms, when desperation turned to bravery and he made the call.

The face that greeted him was nothing like the one that he remembered, a ridiculous part of him had expected a skinny and angry teenager, messy haired and still trying to grow into his own skin. The man on the other side of the comm, however, was the complete opposite with his stylish glasses and obviously expensive suit, the way those rough hands typed a message on a PADD absently before turning to regard him. Really, the only thing about the man that would indicate he was the same person Jim had been trying to reach was the golden stud hanging rebelliously on his right ear lobe. Its twin was still on Jim's pocket, as it had been since the day the man had approached him with a happy grin on his young face, an ice cube in one hand, a scorching needle on the other and the promise it wouldn't hurt.

It had, of course, he had been nine. The other man had scowled a little before taking him in his arms and soothing his tears, making him promise that one day he would let him pierce his ear and put the stud there. Their mother wouldn't mind, he had said. She didn't even remember she had bought those earrings for Jimmy when they all thought he was going to be a she.

Now Jim could tell from the other's shocked eyes that he wasn't what he had been expecting either. He didn't really know what to say, at that moment, or what he should do. He had imagined this moment for years, really, since the moment a spur of the moment, drunken joke, had made him hack into the Federation records and find the one name he could not ignore, the address and comm number and the registry of the man he had thought he would never see again.

He had promised he would not make the call, that he didn't need anyone or anything from the other man, but he kept the number close to him at all times, if only out of habit.

Now he had that man in front of him, gaping stupidly and trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"Dad?" the man asked finally, breathlessly, eyes switching between his own and the blond boy staring curiously at him. Jim smiled sadly, trying to swallow the lump that rose to his throat a little too quickly.

"Sorry, not Dad this time either," he said. "You look old, like one of the fancy people that sometimes passed the farm."

The other man shook his head, shocked.

"Jimmy?" he whispered, unsure.

"Hey, Sam, it's been a long time," Jim answered, his smile becoming heavy in his face.

George Samuel Kirk nodded uncomfortably.

"I saw the news, about, well, all..." he mumbled. "I'm glad you are alive."

"So am I," he replied, nodding. "Sam, I need your help."

Jim had explained briefly what had happened, and introduced Sam to the boy curiously staring at him, told him about David and the betrayal of the man he had considered his mentor, of his own resignation and how he had stormed out of HQ with only his backpack and that he wanted to cool and think but couldn't just go on the road like he used to with a three year old on his arms.

Sam had nodded understandingly, tipped for a few seconds, before he told him an address and that a personal shuttle had been rented by him.

"Come here, Jimmy, I think we have a lot to catch up," he said nervously. Jim nodded gratefully and ended the call.

They had driven for hours, trying to make sure no one followed him or connected the rental to him. Jim had experience in disappearing, and was almost sure half of Starfleet was trying to find him by now, wanting to make him change his mind.

During the trip he talked to his son - and the thought still drove him mad, a son! - interrogating the little boy until he knew all he could about him.

David was as smart as hew as affectionate, and had grown most of his life on Grandpa Pike's house with him and his wife Grandma One. They were caring and Pike always made sure to tell little David that his daddy loved him, that he was a hero fighting the big fight out there on space, making the world a better place for him to live in. Jim felt grateful to an extent, he never wanted a son of his to feel unloved or abandoned, he could even understand the Admiral's motivations as he heard his son's account of his daily life, but the words, the way David seemed to never question why his daddy never called, it all rang a little to close to Jim's own memories.

And it hurt.

Because it was the same as when his own grandma used to tell him how much his mommy loved him when he was a little boy, how much she adored him but was too busy making the universe a better place for him and Sam to call him on something so little as his birthday. He had been young and stupid for a while, but lies could only stretch so far as he grew.

He didn't want David to wonder why his daddy loved him but never called, why his daddy protected him from the Romulans and the Klingons but had no time to hug him at night or tell him everything was going to be alright when he had nightmares. And how could Jim explain to a three year old that he loved him from the moment he had seen him, but that he had never known he existed until then? That David's beloved Grandpa Pike and Grandma One had not told him he had been born? That they had let him risk himself while playing hero on his ship while David grew on Earth, ignorant?

He simply couldn't.

And now there they were, him sitting on the expensive leather couch in Sam's house while his little son slept happily on his lap, head gently pillowed on his chest.

"So, his name is David, huh?" asked Sam as he handed his younger brother a cup of coffee. Jim took it gratefully, hands never straying to long from his son's head.

"Carol remembered I always wanted that name for a son, I guess," he mumbled, taking a sip. The coffee had the right amount of sugar and milk on it to make him swoon with its familiarity. He shook his head gently, careful not to wake the sleeping boy. "it's so weird. Two days ago I was a Starship Captain, I loved chasing enemies out of our galaxy and leaping where angels fear to thread. Now I'm nothing but a civilian and I should feel like crap, but I can't stop thinking I'd love to teach David how to read and ride his own bicycle or... I don't know, build his own solar power reactor."

"You are one twisted father if you think that's normal for a three year old," Same laughed. Jim raised an eyebrow.

"I built one when I was three," he defended himself.

"And blew up the barn's roof, remember?" the other man said, sitting besides Jim on the couch. "He looks like Dad, you know?"

Blue eyes met honey brown.

"Really? I ... you really think so?"

"Yeah, well," Sam sighed. "He looks like you, you look like dad, blood runs thick?"

Jim smiling lightly, letting his head rest on the other's broad shoulder. They had not talked, like Jim had imagined, nor had they apologized, but the closeness, the familiarity between them came as smooth as if they had never separated. He guessed blood did run thick on the Kirk family.

"Thanks, Sam," he whispered. "It... it really means a lot to me."

Sam laughed softly, putting a hand on his brother's locks and ruffling them.

"You are welcome, kiddo," he said. "That's what family is for."

They remained in silence for a few minutes, one sitting by the other, both staring at the sleeping boy softly drooling on his father's shirt as he snored. Jim wasn't sure whether three year old was supposed to snore or not, but it was a cute sound, like a puppy or a piglet in sleep. He guessed that he could let his son snore as much as he wanted.

His little son was really perfect.

"Carol would have been proud," he whispered suddenly. Sam grinned.

"If he's anything like his dad, she surely would have."

The younger man pouted.

"Hey! I was a perfectly sweet child, you know?" he protested.

"Until you threw dad's old car down the cliff," Sam laughed.

"It was my brother's rotten influence on me," Jim grinned. "The officers even agreed with me."

"Oh, poor baby Jimmy, spoiled rotten by his wicked older brother!" Sam moaned dramatically, wrapping both arms around his little brother's neck. Jim protested weakly, careful not to shake David too hard.

"Sam!" he snapped.

"What happened to baby Jimmy!" Sam mock whimpered. "Where is my cute and obedient little brother? Such a darling thing he was! And now you are this hairy and independent big-shot. I miss my baby Jimmy."

Jim huffed, trying his best to suppress the smile that was threatening to escape his mouth.

"Get married and have children of your own, asshole," he said, batting Sam's hands away from his cheeks. "Is there any potential Mrs. Kirk, by the way? There's a picture of a hot chick on your desk."

The eldest Kirk shrugged.

"Aurelan?" he asked. "Didn't work out. She said I was too messed up, had too many issues. I guess I don't blame her, she wanted to have a family and settle down in her home colony. I told her I was not ready to leave everything and move into space. I just got my job settled and I bought the house, I was not ready to get married and just pretend nothing had happened. I really wanted a place I could call my own, she said we could have all that in Deneva and much more, without my Dad's shadow over me or the ghost of my heroic little brother to follow me around. I said I didn't want to escape, I wanted to make a name for myself here on Earth, despite you or Dad or Mom, she didn't like it."

"What a bitch," Jim growled, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulders. Suddenly, his paused, turning to lock eyes with Sam. "You didn't stay here because of me, right?"

Sam snorted.

"Don't get all guilty and annoying," he warned. "I told you I have a life here, I'm not George Kirk's boy or James Kirk's brother, I'm Professor Kirk and I like it. Plus with you in space one of us had to be on Earth to get the farm when mom died. I'm selling it, by the way, sorry if you wanted to keep the house but Frank had claim to it and I'd rather force the state to split the money than have him stay on our house any longer."

Jim sighed.

A part of him didn't want to see his childhood home gone forever, specially now that he had a child he would have liked to take David there and show him where he learnt how to read, where he went to school and got his first kiss, but he understood Sam's logic. If his mother was dead, and as she had left no will of her own - she was always too busy for that kind of legal mumble-jumbo - her property had to be split between her two sons and her husband. As all three of them had claim on the farm and the house, the only way to get Frank out was to either buy his part, and both Kirk siblings refused to give money to that asshole, or to force the state to put the farm on sale so the profit could be split between them.

Sam had chosen well.

"It's ok," he said finally. "I guess we can make more family memories somewhere else, Dave and me."

"And me," Sam scowled. "I just got you back, squirt, you are not getting rid of me that easily. This little one needs uncle Sam to tell him all about his delinquent daddy and all the embarrassing things he did when he was a kid, and you need someone to look out for you, Captain or not, I don't think I can pretend you are not there anymore, Jimmy."

Jim smiled again.

"I don't want you to regret your choices, Sam, that's all," he said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Staying here made you lose a girl you obviously liked a lot, or her picture would not still be on your desk. What if she was The One?"

"If she was, I'm an asshole, but I don't think she was, Jimmy," Sam said, smiling sadly. "The One would have waited for me to be ready, I think, she would have understood." Jim and Sam grinned at eachother remembering their childhood conversations about The One, a person you could just settle down with and live happily ever after. Sam had quickly grown out of those fantasies, but Jim always wanted to believe there was really a person perfect for each. He thought their parents were eachother's Ones, and their Dad dying was what doomed Winona to such a miserable life. Yet, despite the danger and impossibility and their rather poor examples, Jim still liked to believe he would meet The One someday too.

It was a refreshing thought.

"Did you love her, Jim?" Sam asked suddenly. At Jim's confused frown, he elaborated. "Dave's mom?"

"Carol?" asked Jim. "I think I did. Yeah. We were children ourselves, really, fooling around, but I would have married her if she'd told me, she made me feel special."

Both brothers kept quiet for a moment, each deep in thoughts. Sam blinked, eyes straying to the window.

"It's almost time for us to go," he said, standing up and reaching for his comm. He told his secretary to cancel all classes and meetings for the next three days and to forward all reports to his terminal. Jim blinked curiously.

"Where are we going?"

"To see mom and dad?" Sam offered. "Put a jacket on, it's still a little cold."

Jim nodded, confused, before passed the still sleeping David to Sam and put on the jacket his brother offered to him, then he wrapped the little boy on a blanket and followed his brother onto the streets.

"I had Dad's and Mom's holos brought here when I moved. I guess they deserved this place more than a forgotten old cemetery in the middle of nowhere, Iowa. I never really thought you would find me, or that I would be able to take you here," he said as they entered a relatively deserted park. Jim immediately recognised the place as the one reserved for heroes. It had been built some centuries ago in lieu of a tragic attack and now housed holograms of each and every hero that had risked their lives in the line of duty. Heroes' Park, it was called now, the original name forgotten years before event he First Contact.

"You never know what could happen," Jim said, staring at the holograms with a sense of longing.

"It's the universe playing with us," Sam replied, walking purposefully.

"Meh," Jim shrugged. "It is time and space trying to re-align themselves into a close fit to the original flow of universe continuum."

His older brother stared at him in confusion.

"Space wisdom?" he asked.

"Sort of," Jim laughed.

"Do I really want to know?" An eyebrow raised.

"Nah, not really," A shake of the head.

"Fine," A huff. "Keep your secrets, we're here anyway."

Both me stared at the holograms staring back at them proudly, eyes solemn.

"Hey," Sam said gently. "It's me again. I brought Jimmy with me this time, he's a daddy now."

Brown eyes met Blue. Jim nodded hesitantly.

"Um," he mumbled. "Hi Mom, hi Dad. It's Jim... and this is David, my son." He couldn't help but compare his son's chubby face to the image of the couple in front of him. They confident poses, the way their eyes pierced his very soul, David's little ears and his pixy-ish nose. He finally allowed a small smile to curl his lips as he nuzzled his son's cheek with his cold nose.

"You look a lot like your grandma," he whispered. "Did you know that? She would have been so proud of you."

Sam smiled, putting a hand on his brother's shaking shoulders. Yes, this was all one of Jim's attempts to escape when he couldn't understand a situation. He was running away from Starfleet as they had both ran away from home. But all in all, he guessed it was something his little brother and himself had needed for a while.

Closure of some sort on the demons of the parents they never could love nor forgive.

It wasn't so bad, really, to be back to his family, he guessed.

To Be Continued.


End file.
